Early Braille Literacy Instruction: Strategies TVIs

1. Early Braille Literacy Instruction: Strategies TVIs Julie A. Bardin, Ph.D. Sandra Lewis, Ed.D. Eileen Bischof, Ph.D.

2. Purposes of Study To determine current strategies used by teachers of students with visual impairments to integrate the Braille code and instruction in literacy for students To evaluate the efficacy of various teaching strategies To provide recommendations for future teachers of young blind students

3. Qualitative Research Designed to gain insight into complex social phenomena Gather data about events or patterns of behavior Descriptions enhance our understanding of the ideas, feelings, beliefs, and motives related to individual�s actions Generate hypotheses

4. Questions of interest Where does literacy instruction take place for learners with a VI? What types of materials are being used to teach literacy skills? Who participates in literacy instruction? How is reading instruction provided in the general education classroom integrated with braille instruction? Which instructional approaches appear to be most beneficial?

5. Design of Study Identify teachers of preschool, kindergarten, and first grade students who are receiving instruction in braille Pay teachers for providing 3 reports per week describing their literacy activities Measure students� progress Hold focus group Analyze qualitative data

6. Instruments Texas Primary Reading Inventory Minnesota Braille Skills Inventory

7. Data Sources Lesson Plans Student Test Scores Texas Primary Reading Inventory Minnesota Braille Skills Inventory Teacher Interviews One-on-one Focus group Observations of Instruction Teacher and Home Surveys

8. Participants YEAR 1 11 TVIs 3-31 years of teaching 14 students 6 Pre-K 6 Kindergarten 2 First graders YEAR 2 9 TVIs (3 new to project) 3-32 years of teaching 12 students 3 Pre-K 4 Kindergarten 4 First grade 1 Second grade

9. General Findings

10. Location of Instruction Resource Room General Education Classroom After School Care Area Home But we already knew this�

11. So, Who�s Involved? Student TVI General Education Teacher Other Special Education Teachers Classroom Paraeducators Librarians Peer Volunteers Families But we already knew this�

12. interesting�.. The teachers of the 4 highest performing students all indicated that the student received reading instruction from the TVI and the general education teacher All but one of the teachers of the other students indicated that they were the primary reading instructor

13. Materials Used By TVIs for Reading: Pre-K

14. Materials Used By TVIs for Reading: Kindergarten

15. Materials Used By TVIs for Reading: First Grade

16. interesting� Teachers are starting to build literacy skills early Teachers are using familiar and available tools Most teachers are using Patterns Only two teachers (18%) are using a new curriculum (Kester Braille) No one is using Braille Fundamentals

17. Teacher Made Materials

18. Adapted General Education Materials

19. Student & Teacher Case Studies

20. The Kindergarteners

21. Michelle Beginning of Kdg. Read 14 letters Wrote 10 letters End of Kdg. Read 8 letters 6 whole word alphabet signs Wrote 10 letters 5 whole word alphabet signs

22. Michelle�s Teacher 12 years teaching experience Certified in VI Has a full-time paraprofessional who is a certified transcriptionist Uses Mangold, Patterns, and Kester Teaches contracted braille as contractions appear in general ed. materials

23. Claudia Beginning of Kdg. Read 17 signs 7 letters 2 numbers 8 whole word alphabet contractions Wrote 4 signs 4 letters End of Kdg. Read 28 signs 19 letters 0 numbers 9 whole word alphabet contractions Wrote 32 signs 19 letters 13 whole word alphabet contractions

24. Gilberto Beginning of Kdg. Read 14 signs 8 letters 6 whole word alphabet contractions Wrote 15 signs 10 letters 5 whole word alphabet contractions End of Kdg. Read 17 signs 9 letters 8 whole word alphabet contractions Wrote 43 signs 25 letters 18 whole word alphabet contractions

25. Claudia and Gilberto�s Teacher 21 years teaching experience Certified in VI and Elementary Does not have a paraprofessional Uses Mangold and Patterns Feels combining general ed. Basal materials is confusing to students Presents contractions when child is ready

26. The First Grade Students

27. Lauren End of Kdg. Read 56 signs Wrote 50 signs Mastered Letters & Numbers Developing Whole Word Signs Punctuation End of 1st Grade Read 134 signs Wrote 145 signs Mastered Letters & Numbers Whole Word Signs Basic Punctuation Developing Short Form Words Lower Cell Signs Part Word Signs

28. Lauren�s Teacher 32 years teaching experience Certified in VI Has a full-time paraprofessional who knows braille Uses Mangold for tactual discrimination Uses Patterns and general ed. reading curriculum

29. Blake End of Kdg. Read 59 signs Wrote 68 signs Mastered Letters & Numbers Developing Whole Word Signs Basic Punctuation End of 1st grade Read 170 signs Wrote 169 signs Mastered Letters & Numbers Whole & Part Word Signs Dot 5 & 4-5-6 Signs Developing Punctuation Dot 4-5, 4-6, & 5-6 Signs

30. Blake�s Teacher 24 years teaching experience Degrees in VI, Elementary, and VE Has a full-time paraprofessional she has taught Braille code and rules Uses Mangold and Patterns paired with basal reading series Pre-teaches contractions as they appear in the general ed. materials Students self-monitor progress

31. Victoria Beginning of 1st grade Did not read or write any braille signs End of 1st grade Read and Wrote All letters 17 Whole word alphabet signs

32. Victoria�s Teacher 18 years of teaching experience Certified in VI Has a part-time aide who does not know braille Uses Mangold and Patterns Introduces contractions as they appear in general ed. Teaches braille to families Pairs new braille readers with experienced ones.

33. Discussion

34. How Do Teachers Decide What Approach to Use? IEP team input Functional vision assessment Eye report Learning media assessment Amount of time allocated for braille Availability of materials Child�s rate of learning Teacher�s personal characteristics But we already knew this�

35. Integration of Reading and Braille Instruction TVIs are supplementing reading instruction by: Pre-teaching new material. Re-teaching and reviewing material. Providing additional practice. TVIs are teaching braille skills: Primarily in isolation. A few teachers, however, are integrating instruction with general education.

36. interesting�.. 3 of the 4 teachers of the highest performing students start with uncontracted braille in the general education classroom and teach Patterns separately Only one of the 7 teachers of the other students in the study start with uncontracted braille

37. Instruction Timeline Mangold for pre-braille Use of Patterns to teach braille code All teachers are using Patterns; most indicate it is the most useful tool for teaching reading Contractions presented (not taught) as they appear in general education curriculum Drills for contractions on Patterns timeline

38. Resulting in� Students having difficulty with general education curriculum Students off task during general education activities General education teachers unsure of teaching methods for braille readers

39. so what IS working? Pre-teaching students and general educators Working closely with an accepting general education teacher Using a variety of instructional methods Providing lots of opportunities for the child�s hands to be on braille Building a strong pre-braille foundation

40. Needed, MORE student achievement data observations of TVIs teaching home literacy information observations in the general education classrooms general educator perspectives

41. What do teachers want? More time for instruction More training Opportunities for networking Suggestions for instructional order

42. Any questions?

43. Limitations of Study Small sample Teachers in case studies had many years of experience Brief glimpse in a long process

44. Minnesota Braille Skills Inventory Results � 

45. Texas Primary Reading Inventory Results